To what extent is the Electoral College the best method of electing the US President? (30 marks)
- Created by: yazmintaylorx
- Created on: 06-05-18 17:16
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- electoral college best method
- winner-takes-all system
- winner-takes-all, simple plurality system distorts the popular vote
- 2000 & 2016 popular vote winner wasn't overall winner
- creates a lot of wasted votes
- 2012 California's 4.8m votes for Romney wasted
- popular vote isn't followed so undemocratic
- winner may lack mandate therefore legitimacy
- winner-takes-all, simple plurality system distorts the popular vote
- campaigns focus on swing states
- May to Election Day 2012 Romney & Obama visited Ohio 35 times, Florida 31 & Virginia 29
- 2012 38 states not visited once
- April 11th - Election Day 2012 $314.8m spent on TV ads by Obama of which 99.6% spent in 10 states
- undemocratic& unfair on non-swing state voters
- may cause apathy in non-swing states
- lower levels of turnout in some states & varied turnout across country
- third party candidates don't stand a chance
- 1992 Perot 19% popular vote but no ECVs
- BUT Wallace 1968 46 ECVs
- voters who aren't aligned with 2 main parties not represented
- voters have less choice which goes against pluralist democracy
- easier for wealthier 3rd party candidates which alienates voters
- produces a president with a mandate
- 2012 Obama received 332 ECVs & Romney received 206
- president has a clear mandate, legitimacy & authority
- stability means less political disturbances
- winner of ECVs may not win popular vote (2000 & 2016)
- ECVs based on population size
- ECVs per state = senators + reps.
- Alaska 3 ECVs & 737,000 people
- Cali. 55 ECVs & 38.8m people
- 23rd A gave 3 ECVs to DC so they were represented in the EC
- redistricting ensures fairness as populations rise & fall
- small states don't have an overly disproportionate influence
- its easy to calculate so reduced alienation of less educated voters
- there is over and underrepresentation of some states
- Alaska should have 1.2 ECVs & Cali. should have 65 ECVs
- ECVs per state = senators + reps.
- aren't any agreed alternatives
- only two states (Maine & Nebraska) use congressional district method
- method still has lots of wasted votes & an even less proportional result
- proportional system or popular vote system could be used
- less likely candidate would win absolute majority
- EC better than alternatives
- constitutional amendment required which takes a long time
- national Popular Vote Interstate Compact gaining support since 2007 with 10 states joining DC
- only two states (Maine & Nebraska) use congressional district method
- winner-takes-all system
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